The following is a list of the bird species recorded in the Dominican Republic. The avifauna of the Dominican Republic included a total of 331 species as of October 2024, according to Bird Checklists of the World (Avibase). Of them, 16 have been introduced by humans and 85 are rare or accidental. One is endemic and an additional 28 species are endemic to the island of Hispaniola.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 63rd Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories of occurrence. (A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in the Dominican Republic (E-DR) Endemic-DR - a species endemic to the Dominican Republic (E-H) Endemic-H - a species endemic to the island of Hispaniola (Ex) Extirpated - a species that is no longer found in the island (I) Introduced - a species introduced directly to the Dominican Republic or elsewhere in the New World (E) Extinct - a species that is extinct and has no living individuals
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.
White-faced whistling-duck, Dendrocygna viduata (A) Black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis (A) West Indian whistling-duck, Dendrocygna arborea Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor Canada goose, Branta canadensis (A) Orinoco goose, Oressochen jubatus (A) Muscovy duck, Cairina moschata (I) Wood duck, Aix sponsa (A) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera (A) Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope (A) American wigeon, Mareca americana Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos White-cheeked pintail, Anas bahamensis Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Canvasback, Aythya valisineria (A) Redhead, Aythya americana (A) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris Greater scaup, Aythya marila (A) Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (A) Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator (A) Masked duck, Nomonyx dominicus Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis
Guineafowl Order: GalliformesFamily: Numididae
Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled gray plumage.
Helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris (I)
New World quail Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae
The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits.
Northern bobwhite, Colinus virginianus (I)
Pheasants, grouse, and allies
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls, and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus (I) McGowan, P. J. K. and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.redjun.01 retrieved 3 September 2021. Common pheasant, Phaisanus colchicus (I) Wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo (I) (Ex)
Flamingos
Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.
American flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber
Grebes Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.
Least grebe, Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps
Pigeons and doves Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) Scaly-naped pigeon, Patagioenas squamosa White-crowned pigeon, Patagioenas leucocephala Plain pigeon, Patagioenas inornata Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I) African collared-dove, Streptopelia roseogrisea (I) Common ground dove, Columbina passerina Ruddy quail-dove, Geotrygon montana White-fronted quail-dove, Geotrygon leucometopia (E-DR)del Hoyo, J., N. Collar, G. M. Kirwan, and E. F. J. Garcia (2020). White-fronted Quail-Dove (Geotrygon leucometopia), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.wfqdov.01 retrieved September 3, 2021. Key West quail-dove, Geotrygon chrysia White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica Zenaida dove, Zenaida aurita Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura
Cuckoos
Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs.
Smooth-billed ani, Crotophaga ani Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus Mangrove cuckoo, Coccyzus minor Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus (A) Bay-breasted cuckoo, Coccyzus rufigularis (E-H) Hispaniolan lizard-cuckoo, Coccyzus longirostris (E-H)
Nightjars and allies
Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.
Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor Antillean nighthawk, Chordeiles gundlachii Least pauraque, Siphonorhis brewsteri (E-H) Chuck-will's-widow, Antrostomus carolinensis Greater Antillean nightjar, Antrostomus cubanensis
Potoos Order: NyctibiiformesFamily: Nyctibiidae
The potoos (sometimes called poor-me-ones) are large near passerine birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths. They are nocturnal insectivores which lack the bristles around the mouth found in the true nightjars.
Northern potoo, Nyctibius jamaicensis
Swifts
Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Black swift, Cypseloides niger White-collared swift, Streptoprocne zonaris Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica Antillean palm-swift, Tachornis phoenicobia
Hummingbirds Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae
Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards.
Hispaniolan mango, Anthracothorax dominicus (E-H) Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris (A) Vervain hummingbird, Mellisuga minima Hispaniolan emerald, Riccordia swainsonii (E-H)
Rails, gallinules, and coots
Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
Spotted rail, Pardirallus maculatus Clapper rail, Rallus crepitans Sora, Porzana carolina Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata American coot, Fulica americana Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinica Yellow-breasted crake, Hapalocrex flaviventer Black rail, Laterallus jamaicensis
Nesotrochis Nesotrochis is an extinct, small genus of only three species found in the Caribbean (more specifically Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands), all species went extinct after the European arrival.
Haitian cave rail, Nesotrochis steganinos
Limpkin Order: GruiformesFamily: Aramidae
The limpkin resembles a large rail. It has drab-brown plumage and a grayer head and neck.
Limpkin, Aramus guarauna
Thick-knees Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
The thick-knees are a group of waders found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes, and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats.
Double-striped thick-knee, Hesperoburhinus bistriatus
Stilts and avocets Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
Black-necked stilt, Himantopus mexicanus American avocet, Recurvirostra americana (A)
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
American oystercatcher, Haematopus palliatus
Plovers and lapwings
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva (A) Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus Piping plover, Charadrius melodus Wilson's plover, Charadrius wilsonia Snowy plover, Charadrius nivosus
Jacanas Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Jacanidae
The jacanas are a group of waders which are found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat.
Northern jacana, Jacana spinosa
Sandpipers and allies
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda (A) Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus Long-billed curlew, Numenius americanus (A) Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa (A) Hudsonian godwit, Limosa haemastica (A) Marbled godwit, Limosa fedoa (A) Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Red knot, Calidris canutus Ruff, Calidris pugnax (A) Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea (A) Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina (A) Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii (A)